Master of Disguise
by dreamonkid
Summary: Destiny brought Kurapica and a mysterious boy to meet during one his Spider chases. Together they team up with the other bodyguards as they carried out Nostrad's mission to bring back his runaway daughter. Will they succeed? The boss is waiting.
1. The Midnight Episode

**My second attempt on writing a chapter fic, and first on writing sum romance. I try to write wat my readers ask for so yea. some ppl ask me 2 write romance and suicidal stuf, so im having a go at it. I'm a romance newbie, so dont expect much from me. special thnx 2 hyuuu for suggesting the name haruno!! ^___^ Cheers!!**

**my goal is to create a moving picture on my readers head, pretty much like watching an anime episode, wif music and all dat. and i hope for those who reads it will be enjoying another hxh ep!! Story takes place after 1st OVA. Gon and Killua are still in GI, but they might make an appearance!**

* * *

"_Nice to meet you!"_

"_O-Oi!"_

_Twelve year old Kurapica had not expected this, it was all too sudden. He was enjoying his peaceful moment relaxing by a tree trunk when suddenly a boy with short, black hair, wearing a similar Kurutan tunic dropped down from the branches above, and landed neatly by his side. He grinned mischievously. "Hey!"_

"_W-What? Who are you?"_

"_Sousuke! And you are…?"_

"_I-I'm Kurapica."_

_Well that was a bit too sudden. The boy cocked his head, and then laughed away heartily. Poor Kurapica did not get his joke as he sat gawping at this new boy, still traumatised by the shocking event._

_Finally, the boy took calm breaths, and smiled, "I wonder how long it would take for you to realise that I'm under disguise?" He grasped a tuft of black hair and slowly took it off, revealing silky, white hair that tumbled to the shoulders. "Idiot!"_

"_Princess!"_

"_It's Ha-ru-no!" the girl snapped back frustratingly, making sure she pronounced each syllable clearly. "I hate being a 'Princess'. 'Do this, do that' they say. Act like one. Hmph, it's so annoying!" She wrapped her arms around her knees and rocked back and forth._

"_It's for your own good, being the next heir."_

_She pouted. "You don't understand. There's no freedom to it. I love my parents, but everyday they keep me confined inside the house until I'm 'ready to see the outside world'. It's so unfair. I want to learn how to ride a horse. I want to learn swordcraft. I want to learn to defend myself. Just like you! At least you get to sit by a tree!" Haruno stood up fiercely, pretending to be a great warrior. Kurapica watched by amused._

"_And thou shalt be one!" the boy stood up and played along. "Thou shalt be the glorious Mistress of Disguise!"_

"_Master…Master of Disguise!" the girl corrected him. The two fell down laughing and laid back as the breeze ruffled their hair._

"_Well, I better get going, Ku-ra-pi-ca." Haruno placed her wig back on her head and gave him a playful tap on the nose before she dashed of towards home. The boy waved her good-bye before going back to his peaceful business._

_A few minutes later, screams echoed through the forest. That was how it began…_

xXx

That was then.

But now is now.

Midnight has fallen and the streets were deserted. Deserted, as in no people, no transports aligned near the roads. Slowly, the lights in the city switched off until only the street lights remained as the only light source.

Everyone knew that…

Everyone, knew that the treacherous episode was about to begin. The glow of the full moon glowed eerily over the silent York Shin. The city clock began striking the twelve chimes.

_One…_

_Two…_

_Three..._

_Four…_

For extra precaution, the people pulled down their blinds and curtains. They locked and chained their doors. No-one should be able to penetrate through.

_Five…_

_Six…_

_Seven…_

_Eight…_

Even the creatures of the night knew their places. The possums disappeared into the trees. The birds glued their beaks.

_Nine…_

_Ten…_

_Eleven…_

A soft breeze fluttered through the trees, their leaves beckoning to the long awaited event.

_Twelve…_

Suddenly, a black figure darted across the roof of the skyscrapers. Ten others followed behind. However, the last one was not keen on running away. He was more determined on catching them. The action has begun.

After months of regular training, the blonde had ensured that his speed would match the Spiders', since his previous attempts were a failure. True to his promise, it appears that luck was on his side tonight. As he ran, the same question was nagging his head again. _Who was the eleventh? _

Wherever the cloaked person went, the others followed. But he was sure that over the tedious months of training, his sensitivity has grown. The Spiders usually emit a deadly aura, but the last one, did not. Instead, it was so bright, he could tell that this person was much stronger beyond compare. The cloaked person suddenly dropped down and landed with great accuracy, then dashed down the road. The others followed in hot pursuit. The largest of them all shot bullets out of his fingers, aiming at the mysterious person, who just managed to swerve around a corner. Another tried casting needles on threads, but was simply knocked off by an invisible barrier.

_Strange…that person isn't a Spider. _Kurapica managed to release his chain jail, but before he could hurl the tiny, sharp end, a samurai bounded upon his unawareness and sliced a deep cut on his left arm. Clutching his arm and grunting in pain, he kept on running nevertheless. The cloaked person was growing more and more desperate, and so turned a corner into a dark alleyway. The Spiders decided to use this opportunity to disappear.

Unfortunately, the person has arrived at a dead end, and swivelled around to face a confused blonde. Kurapica froze for a few seconds, before slowly advancing on his mysterious victim. Little by little, the person's head lifted up. It was a boy, at least, that was what Kurapica thought for the time being. His eyes were an amazing reflection of his, a deep, liquid azure. Similar to Killua's, his mop hair was coloured with an unnatural white, except much neater. His gaze finally averted Kurapica's, and turned to look at his side. Kurapica followed his gaze, and landed on what he dreaded to see. The Spiders were blocking their pathway.

The samurai leapt up unexpectedly and brought his sword down to Kurapica's heart. The blonde widened his eyes in surprise as blood splattered over his blue tunic. Momentarily paralysed with astonishment, he looked down to see the end of the sword protruding from the waist of the other boy. _But why…?_

The boy grunted in agony, his hands trying to stop the gushing wound. The Spiders sniggered at their weak victims, and gradually stepped closer, their weapons raised in a fighting stance.

The scene that unfolded next happened in a flash. The white-haired boy standing in front released a powerful force, so powerful, it swept the Spiders away, and flung them kilometres into the sky. Kurapica could only stare in awe. He knew he shouldn't underestimate people, but his particular one had so much power contained in such a frail body. Groaning, the boy tried dragging himself out the alleyway. "Wait…you're hurt. You should rest…" Kurapica suggested softly. He felt strangely respectful towards this mysterious person. The boy, giving him one last quick glance, disappeared around the corner.

Remembering that he too, should also rest, he gripped his bleeding arm and heaved himself to a certain place where his old friend lived.

xXx

Locked in his own apartment, Leorio shivered at the thought of those strange people knocking on his door. He snuggled deeper into his blankets.

_Ding dong…_

His heart missed a beat. Panicking, he whimpered like a child, hoping whoever was outside would go away.

_Ding dong…knock knock knock._

The person was stubborn, he figured out. He got up reluctantly from his cosy bed, and tiptoed out to the living room, snatching up a knife from the kitchen along the way.

_Knock knock. Ding dong._

_How in the world did I end up renting an apartment in York Shin? I should move out soon… _Leorio thought unbelievably to himself. "Wh-Who's there?" he muttered softly.

The person replied in a raspy voice, "_It's me…Kurapica."_

Now that was unusual. Kurapica visiting him after midnight was a chance scaled down to zero. Leorio was being extra-cautious. This could be a trap. On the other hand, if it was that know-it-all blonde, he would feel guilty for not trusting his old friend. His hands shaking violently on the door knob, he slowly eased the door open…

The instant the door opened, Kurapica fell exhausted into Leorio's arms. Shocked at his friend's current state, he dragged him to the nearest couch, switched on the lights, then hurried off to fetch his medical box. Kurapica groaned as he returned with a clean bandage.

"O-Oi! You're scaring me. What happened?" Leorio started to clean and apply antiseptic on his wound. The younger boy flinched at the after-effects.

"Thanks…" Kurapica mumbled. He glanced around the room. A certificate carefully framed that hung from the wall caught his attention. "A Master Degree of Medicine, huh?" he smiled.

Obviously, the boy was trying to avoid his question. "Well…uh, thanks. Hey! Now's not the time to talk about this. You're not answering my question, what happened?"

The blonde looked away from the older man and sighed, "I…was tracking the Spiders."

The bandage neatly wrapped around Kurapica's arm, Leorio stood up impatiently and shook his head at the thick-headed boy, "How many time's have I told you…to forget about the Spiders and to perhaps, look up more into life? Even Gon and Killua thinks so!"

"Do you mind if I sleep over at your place for the night?" Kurapica was too tired to walk all the way to the Nostrad's mansion. And he couldn't be bothered to ask Leorio to drive him there in the middle of the night.

Leorio sighed, "Very well."

"I'll sleep here," the blonde added in.

The man brought back a spare quilt and they were soon settled, lights switched off. Leorio was fast asleep, but the boy was having a restless time. He twisted and turned on the couch. _Who was that guy? Why did he save me? _A thousand questions were whirling around his head, but eventually, he snuggled in his blanket, and his eyes drooped down as he entered into a deep slumber.


	2. Street Rat

Kurapica woke up rather reluctantly the next morning, still tired from yesterday's incident. He was too exhausted to summon his holy chain and heal his arm. He ambled to the kitchen and sat down on a nearby stool.

"You look kind of pale," Leorio commented while he carefully flipped the eggs and bacon onto two plates. "Perhaps some fresh air will do you good."

His friend nodded in agreement and they ate their simple breakfast in silence.

"Not in those." The man pointed at his friend's bloodied and torn sleeve. He began to head towards his bedroom. "Gosh, don't you ever wear something different? I wonder if you even have a wardrobe…"

xXx

Kurapica stepped out of the building tugging nervously at the white collar of his orange shirt. He stared down uncertainly at the baggy khaki pants. "Are you sure…?"

Leorio had lent his clothes for his younger friend to wear, except…maybe it was a bit too large. "Yes, yes. They'll do fine." Leorio, wearing his usual business suit, stretched his arms in the air and yawned. "I'll be back by ten pm. Tomorrow's a Saturday so I'm free. Well then, I'm off. See you later."

Hands in pockets, the boy made his way around skyscrapers, malls and busy traffic. Business men were especially rude. One bumped his shoulder and didn't bother to stop and apologise. Another smoked a cigar and disposed it by throwing it in the air, not caring where it landed, which Kurapica dodged before it could burn his hair.

A walk early in the morning seemed like a good idea. A walk in York Shin, did not. He turned a couple more roads before arriving at a place that he'd never thought of seeing in such a large and rich city. It was like a small, secret village hidden in the corner of York Shin. The place was littered with debris and rotten food. Beggars of all ages were either struggling to live, or waiting to die. Some scavenged around rubbish dumps, others waited for the chance to pounce on wealthy-looking passer-bys. The blonde can feel their eager eyes piercing his back as he walked pass. Police patrolled the streets in case of any bad behaviour. Despite the poverty of the peasants and the stink in the air, the place had a more peaceful and care-free atmosphere, compared to the city.

The only pleasant things that stood out were a couple of stores selling their food and merchandise. People shouted about the quality of their products and the cheap cost to those who can afford them. The smell of freshly-baked bread drew Kurapica closer to the bakery. He examined the variety of bread laid out neatly on trays. Selecting a bun covered in melted cheese, he made his purchase, and placed it in a brown paper bag. He swung the bag absent-mindedly as he wandered deeper into the market square when a familiar figure caught his attention. He searched around for a place to hide then darted quickly into an alleyway. He peeked behind the corner and examined the figure.

The person had neat, white mop hair, and bright blue eyes, now that his hood was down, probably to make him look less suspicious. It could be the boy from yesterday night, but Kurapica can't be too sure. The boy was looking down eagerly at a long bun from the bakery that Kurapica had just left. He carried a rucksack over his shoulder, bulging with who-knows-what's-inside. _What's he up to? _The blonde thought warily.

And it happened so fast, Kurapica didn't have enough time to take it all in. One second the boy was looking down at the bun, the next he snatched it up and dashed away. The storekeeper saw what happened but could do nothing but to step out of his store and cried out angrily, "THIEF! THIEF! GET HIM!"

Nearby police caught sight of the runaway thief and gave chase. The boy scurried away frantically whilst holding the long piece of bread, looking back often to see if he had made some distance between himself and his pursuers. Panicking, he looked around for a hiding place, and ran straight to the alleyway where Kurapica was hiding. The blonde widened his eyes in surprise, _Oh no…no you won't…not here…_

Too late. The boy caught the blonde staring at him as he leapt past him, grabbing his hand along the way. Kurapica felt his feet moving on its own accord as he, too, followed the boy in the frenzied chase, "O-Oi!"

Gun shots rang in the air as they both ran through dark passageways between isolated buildings. The shouts of the police drew closer.

The boy glared at blonde. Kurapica's speed was much slower than his. He sighed and came to an abrupt stop. He stood in front of Kurapica to face the police and held his bun in a fighting stance. The boy did a few swordcraft moves on the spot, waving his breadstick around like a sword. Partially amused, the blonde and the police watched in astonishment. It took a while before Kurapica realised that they were making no progress, so he grabbed the boy's hand and they ran off. The police, still standing there in a trance, finally took in that they had lost sight of their victims. They kept on running until they reached an intersection. Throwing their hands up in irritation, they gave up and walked back to the market square.

The two boys peered around the corner to find the passageways safe and empty. Kurapica sighed in relieve, then he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around to face the boy, whose hand was pointing down at something. "Oh, right." He let go his grip on the boy's hand. The white haired boy rummaged into his rucksack and drew out the long bun, and was about to take a bite, when a slight movement caught his attention. Behind the wall, a young girl peeked timidly from behind. She ducked her head then ran off. The white haired boy followed the girl.

He looked around the corner to see an old woman tired and worn out, cuddling a whimpering baby and the shivering girl. They were all dressed in rags, cold, and hungry, as they huddled together. Their eyes showed fear, thinking the boy might do something horrible. He looked down grudgingly at his bread before handing it over to the widow. She bowed down in gratefulness and began to cry. He simply nodded his head and walked away, Kurapica following behind. Watching the scene made his heart drop and his eyes blurry.

The boy finally sat down and laid his head against the wall, "You should go."

He felt sympathy towards this boy, and he was not going to leave him hungry on the streets, not after the time when he saved him. "You haven't eaten anything yet."

"So? That's none of your business. Don't waste your time on a street-rat like me." The boy tried to sound threatening, but Kurapica knew his words were merely kindness.

"Take this, I've already eaten lunch." He handed over the paper bag and sat down beside the boy. Yes, it was a lie, but it doesn't matter if he skips a meal.

Without another word, the boy snatched the bag and ravenously wolfed down the cheese bun. Kurapica decided that this was the best time to get to know him better.

"What's your name?"

"Kai," the boy mumbled between bites.

_What a straight-forward guy. _"Do you live here?"

"I don't stay in one place. I always move to a new one."

"What about your parents?" Wrong question, Kurapica decided. Instantly, the boy seemed to have lost his appetite as he lowered his bread down. "They're no longer in this world…" he whispered back.

Both boys sat in silence.

The blonde finally interrupted, "Same here. They were killed by a group of criminals."

"The Phantom Brigade?"

Kurapica looked at him surprised, "How did you know?"

The white haired boy shrugged and continued nibbling the bun, "These days, they're always on the run. They're always chasing me…"

_Yep, it's him. The mysterious person from last night._ "Your wound…I can heal it."

"It's already healed. Maybe I should tend to yours? You have little energy left." The boy placed his hands over Kurapica's bandaged arm and closed his eyes. Bright blue light flared around his hand before it slowly dimmed. "Done, scabs and all," the boy lifted his hands and laughed.

The blonde unwrapped his bandage and stared unbelievably at his healed arm. It was just skin, not even a single scar left behind. "You are stronger than you look," he commented.

Kai raised an eyebrow, "Is that a compliment or an insult?"

"A compliment." Kurapica smiled. It looks like he has made a new friend. "Oh, and uh...what's with that bread display back then?"

The other boy scratched his head and grinned embarrassingly, "It bought us time, didn't it?"

xXx

Nostrad paced to and fro across his office, obviously infuriated at Kurapica's late arrival. Senritsu and Basho stood nervously near the door, praying that the stubborn boy would come back soon. But the boss could not take it anymore, he exploded at the two remaining bodyguards, "And WHY ISN'T KURAPICA BACK YET? IT'S BEEN ONE NIGHT ALREADY! WHERE IS THAT BOY?!" He slammed his hand on his desk and glared at the two frightened figures. He pointed at the shorter one, "YOU! GO AND FIND HIM AND BRING HIM BACK BEFORE LUNCH OR I WILL HAVE YOU FIRED! OUT YOU TWO! OUT OF MY SIGHT!"

The two bodyguards nodded and stepped out of his office, still trembling. Basho looked apologetically at the small woman, "Well I'm sorry. It's all up to you then. Good luck."

"I guess it's not that hard. His heartbeats are still within my range of hearing. Surprisingly, it looks like he's having a great time right now..." Senritsu sighed. _What are you doing right now, Kurapica?_


	3. Shopping with a Bodyguard is a Bad Idea

The two boys walked quickly out of the miserable place, looking as innocent as possible as. They avoided polices in patrol and street rats that might report them to the police. Once they reached the busier part of the city, they slowed down their pace and their muscles relaxed.

"You ought to take that off. In a city like this, you look very suspicious." Kurapica nodded at the boy's cloak. Kai did as he was told and slipped it off. The second he took it off, the blonde widened his eyes and sweat-dropped. Under the cloak revealed a completely black, drag of a robe. Kurapica made a hesitant noise before he urged his friend to put it back on.

Half-way through placing the black material in his rucksack, the boy laughed, "I'm better-looking with this?"

The blonde nodded quickly in agreement, though he didn't really know what he meant. He suddenly stopped in front of a huge building and stood in deep thought. "How long do you intend to stay here?"

He glanced across curiously at the white-hair boy. Kai glued his eyes on the ground and paused for a moment before he quietly muttered, "Until I retrieve the object that I'm searching for."

"Which is…?"

"Sorry. That is something I can't tell you. It's personal."

Kurapica sighed unsurely, "Looks like I need to buy you new clothes."

His friend looked up surprised at his sudden proposal, "Why?"

"Cause…" _Cause you look like a nun. _But the blonde decided not to speak his thoughts aloud. "Because…Let's go in!"

They entered the enormous shopping mall, and arrived at the entrance of a clothes store. Kai stared at the massive room in fascination. His friend interrupted, "Well?" Kurapica looked at him expectantly.

"What?"

"Aren't you gonna look for clothes?"

The white-haired boy scanned confusingly over the vast bundles of clothes hanging neatly on their metal racks. It looked more like a maze rather than a clothes store. "The truth is…I've never done shopping…" he mumbled embarrassingly.

Kurapica thought he was going to crash onto the floor, "What?! NEVER done shopping?! Seriously?"

"I told you already. I'm a street rat. I steal for my living," Kai pointed out.

_True, true. _The blonde sighed and slapped his forehead. "But I'm warning you I'm not the picky type. Now where should we begin…?"

For the next hour they hunted down clothes. Poor Kurapica had to constantly ask his friend questions involving design, colour and size. And Kai would either try on the clothes, or wandered off if the blonde took too long. Once Kurapica had to veer the curious boy from the underwear in the women's section. As soon as they were back in the men's section, he groaned with annoyance and banged his head onto a nearby rack. _What am I doing right now…? _

He looked up when he heard a few girly giggles, and looked at the direction the teenage girls were pointing to. To his dismay, he walked over to the white-haired boy.

"What are you _doing?_" Kurapica hissed at his friend with an edge of irritation.

"It's heavy…Wha...where am I...who are you?" The boy grimaced at the weight of the hat. Covered in a variety of plastic fruits and a plume of pink feathers, the massive hat managed to drop down low enough to cover his eyes. Kurapica grabbed his wrists and lead him away, yet again, from the women's section.

"Ugh…" Kai took off the fruit hat and plopped it on what he thought was the hat stand, only to find out he plopped it on Kurapica's head. "Sorry!" he grinned playfully.

"You know what, I think we had enough fun for today." The blonde was reaching for the hat when he was interrupted.

"I think so too."

Kurapica swiveled around and was met face to face with a familiar person. His cheeks felt a burning sensation. "S-Senritsu...?"

"You should wear something like this more often," the little woman chuckled at the boy's oversized outfit and an extra-oversized tropical hat. "You look simply gorgeous! The girls will be _drooling_."

As if to proof her point, a couple of girls from a distance were giggling and pointing at him. His cheeks grew even hotter as he returned the hat in its rightful place. The boy behind him clapped his hands over his mouth and turned around to prevent further temptation to laugh. Kurapica's eyes pierced his back accusingly as the boy's shoulders shook violently.

"Do you know him?" Senritsu gazed at the new boy with interest. The blonde nodded wearily

Remembering his manners, Kai turned around to face the woman and bowed his head down slightly, "Kai! Nice to meet you."

"Senritsu." And they shook hands like any strangers introducing themselves would do.

They left the store and Kurapica and insisted Kai to change. The white-haired boy examined his purple checkered blouse and felt the soft material of the white shirt underneath. Satisfied, he slipped his hands into the pockets of his jeans and grinned childishly.

"You know why I came?" Senritsu eyed the blonde. The boy nodded and instinctively headed towards the Nostrad mansion. Kai trailed behind, obviously confused. "Where are we going?" he wandered aloud.

After a few minutes of walking, they arrived upon a massive gate. It slowly slid open after confirming Kurapica's and Senritsu's voice. The woman insisted the white-hair boy to wait outside the gates, though the blonde was a little worried. After all, the boy had the instincts of a theif and the mind of a sly fox, thus he was prone to follow them, or perhaps even break into and steal from this mansion. Throwing the thought away, Kurapica decided he should take care of his own matters first. For now, keeping his job is his first priority, for facing his moody boss is a troublesome one. He had slackened significantly. So what's he doing now, spending time with a streetrat that he'd only met twice? _It started with his hatred on the Spiders, _he sighed.

The two reached the door of the Nostrad's office and Basho greeted them grimly with a soft grunt. "Brace yourself," he patted the blonde's shoulder. The boy nodded in return and rapped three times on the door. A man clad in black opened the door and gestured the two bodyguards to enter, then closed it with a well-oiled snicker.

As expected, the boss rose up slowly from his seat, his forehead and cheeks ignited. He glared up and down at the calm boy standing in front of his desk. He was further infuriated at the boy's casual change of clothes. Indeed the boy had slacken, but he was the strongest and the most intelligent among the three body-guards. Nostrad cannot afford to lose him, not after the time when his daughter lost her nen. Kurapica swore that his boss was close to looking like a Kuruta, that is, if the veins in his eyeballs popped. Senritsu stood by watching amused.

"Well...?" Nostrad seethed. Before Kurapica had the chance to open his mouth and explain a prepared false excuse, three people suddenly barged into the room. To his gratefulness, the interference broke the tense atmosphere. To his horror, Kai was amongst them. Struggling in the arms of two security guards, he stopped as he caught sight of his friends then smiled apologetically in a sheepish way.

The boss immediately demanded their sudden presence, "What's this?!"

"We caught this young man lurking around the gate entrance, then he attempted to climb over the fence! It is against the rules to intrude without permission, so we brought him here," one of the guards answered as he puffed and sweat dripped from his temples. There was more to it than 'catching him and bringing him here', Kurapica can tell. The chase was clearly a hard one.

Nostrad grumbled and waved his hand dismissively, "I'll deal with him later, send him to the attic first-"

"Wait, he's a close friend of mine," the blonde butted in.

"First you go on a vacation and now you bring a spy?! DO YOU WANT TO LOSE YOUR JOB?!"

"Forgive me, but I had important business to attend to. You see my friend here, his grandmother has lung cancer and broke into a fit of coughing last night. Since he's her only relative and he lived far away, I took responsibility. So I took her to the hospital and stayed by her side overnight. By the time my friend arrived the next day, she has unfortunately, passed away..." Kurapica lowered his head slightly. The woman beside him could feel the corner of her lips twitching. Kai grinned at the funny picture before him; a boy with a stony expression, a buck-teeth lady, and a eye-popping boss.

But his boss was not yet outwitted. He spoke in a more serious tone, "That still does not explain the clothes."

Swift and intelligent, Kurapica whipped up another excuse, "Sir, it is obvious that the old lady's fit of coughing wasn't an ordinary one, that's why I took her to the hospital. She coughed out blood and clawed at my clothes. It was evident that she was struggling for breath. Of course, would you like a representative of your auctions to walk around the streets wearing bloodied and tattered clothing?"

Nostrad slumped down on his chair, defeated. Rather than giving a straight answer, it sounded as though the boy was mocking him. "And what should I do with him?" he pointed rudely at the white-hair boy. Kai wanted to reach out and snap his teeth around the snubby finger, but unfortunately that wasn't going to happen. Kurapica gazed at him thoughtfully and the other boy held his gaze. _Please get me outta this but don't come up with anything stupid, my grandma was long dead!_ Kai begged silently. The blonde finally mumbled slowly, "He...will be my assisstant. He doesn't need a salary. I'll share a half of mine."

_YOU...Something's wrong with your brain cells! _Kai wanted to wrench himself out of the arms of the security guards and shout in protest, but Senritsu's pleading eyes were enough to keep his mouth shut. The boss considered the thought for a moment, then nodded, "Very well."

Kurapica turned around to exit when Nostrad's voice interrupted, "Get Basho to come in. I've got a job for you all."


	4. 12:00 am

**Sorry guys, late update ^___^'**

**To limmorekkaejia: sorry if its kinda confusing, wat is it dat you dont understand?**

**plus i did dis all on notepad, so bear with me if theres any spelling or grammar mistakes. **

* * *

Basho stepped up beside Kurapica and folded his hairy arms across his chest. The three bodyguards stood solemnly in front of their boss's desk, expecting him to notify them the next scheduled auction or collecting some exotic body part like usual.

"For now, I will go down to the under-ground auctions myself," Nostrad began. "You four, will track down my daughter, and I shall reward you big."

"She snuck away? Again?!" the muscular man cried out in disbelief as he unfolded his arms.

"NO! She RAN AWAY! And she's NOT RETURNING!" Nostrad shouted at him angrily. "See for yourselves!" He slammed a piece of paper on the table. Seritsu took it and began to read it aloud.

_Dear Father,_

_Since I have lost my fortune-telling powers, there is no point, and no future for me to remain here. That is why I left, and this shall be the last time. After all, what can one do with a useless daughter? In three days time, I will board a plane and fly to some point in the world, though I think it's unneccesary for you to know where I'm heading to. Don't worry, I have enough money with me. I don't regret my actions._

_Best of luck in the future._

_Love, Neon._

_P.S. Don't you even DARE send the bodyguards to go chasing after me._

The room was hushed. Neon and Nostrad were the strangest and the most difficult pair they'd encountered. Basho dared to break the silence first, "But sir, don't you think that's a bit selfish if we track her down? She chose to leave, and we should let it be. I mean, she's old enough to take care of herself."

"Selfish? SELFISH?! Who's the parent here?!" Nostrad bursted out. "She's still an unexperienced teenager. She hasn't reached adulthood yet!"

_I was able to take care of myself since I was twelve... _the white-hair boy pursed his lips.

Senritsu stepped forward to have her say, "He's right. There many out there who has lost their loved ones at a young age. She should learn to be independent..."

The two bodyguards caught Kurapica's sideway glare, signalling them to stop talking before their boss will explode. The blonde spoke up firmly, "We'll look for her. Only..."

Nostrad raised an eyebrow.

"Only...if you give us full permission for the under-ground auction."

The boss laughed at the foolish request, "What? And why is that so?"

"We have something important to take care of." Kurapica felt a pang of guilt. He had made this bargain only for his selfish reasons. But he really does have important business to attend to. He came to work for this body-collector, not for money, but for the eyes of his clan. Life to him these days, seemed meaningless. He had two goals; annihilate the Genei Ryodan, and retrieve his people's eyes. Whatever comes after that, he'll decide when the time comes.

Nostrad scowled, slightly annoyed that his bodyguards might be hiding something from him, "Whatever you want, but bring Neon back at this place within three days, alright? Otherwise I'll take further action and you won't like it! Now off with you!"

Washed with relief, the three bodyguards walked off. Kai was the last to file off for he took his time to wrench his arms free from the two security guards, and made a rude face. Satisfied, the boy strutted out the door, and headed towards the group downstairs. The huge man's voice echoed in the room.

"Listen, boy. I dunno what you're up to, but I'm staying outta your auction play. I don't care any longer if I'm fired, so rescuing the boss's freakin' daughter is your decision. I'll help if I can-" On the approach of the white-hair boy, the muscular man stopped talking to the blonde and turned to face him. "You a nen-user?"

He recieved a nod. "Your grandmother didn't have lung cancer, did she?"

The boy chuckled, "Nope."

Basho snorted and walked away, leaving the remaining three to face each other, planning their next move. "You're not planning to...?" Senritsu asked cautiously.

The woman knew his plans alright. Kurapica nodded, "Yes." _Only this time, it will be different. _During the past months, his attempts to retrieve the other thirty-four Kuruta eyeballs had failed, which left one other alternative; to take it by force. In other words, he had to _steal._ Stealing was not his trait, and definately not in his personality, but... The blonde glanced hopefully at Kai. If he could perhaps, gain the boy's trust, Kai could help him.

As always, Kai would look confused. "Planning to...?"

Kurapica shook his head, "Not now. I'll explain after we find the boss's daughter."

After much discussing, Senritsu parted her way, and the blonde deicided to pay a visit to an old friend, with Kai tagging along. They will start the search tomorrow.

xXx

The two boys walked out of an Italian restaurant, their dinner sitting contently in their stomachs. Kurapica gazed amusingly at his friend. After that six slices of pizza and one whole potato pie that he ate, his stomach was not even bulging one bit. Kai stretched his hands and slipped them in his pockets with a broad grin, "I'm in your debt-"

"Don't. You don't need to repay me anything," Kurapica interrupted, in case the boy goes on rambling about how much he owes him.

"So, uh...Kurapica-kun..."

The blonde flinched. It felt uncomfortable to have someone adding something like '-san' or '-kun' to his name. It sounded formal. _Too _formal. He also realised that this was the first time the boy called him by his name.

"Kurapica is fine, Kai-_kun_."

The boys chortled at their unnecessary formality.

"Alright, Kurapica. Where are we going?"

"To an old friend of mine. I left my clothes there."

It was not long before they reached an apartment, and Kurapica pressed the doorbell. It opened to reveal a friendly man in a plain white shirt and navy pants.

"Ho, who've we got here?"

"Kai. Nice to meet you, Leorio-san." The white-hair boy bowed down slightly.

The other two males chuckled. Kai looked bemused.

"Ahhh...the first time I met this _rude boy_," the man tilted his head slightly to Kurapica's direction, "he wouldn't call me Leorio-san."

"He _insisted, _that _selfish man_." Although the blonde was speaking to Kai, he was glaring at Leorio through half-lidded eyes.

Throughout the next few minutes, the two 'old friends' argued in mocking voices, shooting each other glares and yacking away by the doorway. Fortunately, no one at that time was walking by. Kai stood by and sweat-dropped. Ocassionally he would nod whenever one of them would give him a 'do-you-agree-with-me?' stare, and he would nod nevertheless, much to the other's fustration.

_So much for friends..._

xXx

The two guests settled down on the double-seated couch as Leorio proceeded to lay three cups of tea on the coffee table. He sat down on a stool and inspected the new boy from head to toe. "So…how did you two meet?"

"Last…night," Kurapica replied unsurely, though the man was not entirely satisfied with the short answer. They conversed for quite a while, oblivious to the time that had past. From the information gathered about the boy from Kurapica, Leorio could only conclude with, "You are a strange one."

The blonde raised an eyebrow at his 'strange' comment. Kai blushed, "Uh, in what ways?"

Leorio shrugged in reply. He stood up and headed towards the television set and inserted a dvd. "Fancy a movie?"

Kurapica hesitated, but his friend beam excitedly. It would take over an hour, and they'd probably reach Nostrad's mansion in the morning.

After Leorio inserted a DVD into the DVD player, they remained in ther respective seats. Fifteen minutes, and Kurapica's eyelids were already drooping. Straining to keep them open, they closed in defeat.

A lady screamed. _AAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!! _

"WHOA!!"

Kurapica jolted upright to see an empty space next to him. Kai was sitting cross legged on the floor, mouth gaping, eyes pinned on the TV screen. His rear end was barely touching the floor. _Damn this horror movie. And don't tell me this is the first time he watched TV._

"Is this what television's are like? Awesome!" The white-hair boy stood up and clapped his hands when the ending credits rolled in.

Leorio looked skeptically at Kurapica. The blonde returned him a shrug.

Kai swiveled around and squinted his eyes at the digital clock, "I wonder what time it is...?"

He froze on the spot.

"Something wrong?" the man inquired.

Kurapica himself, searched for any flaws on the clock. Nothing out of place; the numbers are glowing green, its flickering at each second, no scratches, no chipped ends... He stiffened. _The time._

_11:57:23_

The man stood up and adjusted his glasses on his nose. He too, examined the clock, an O forming on his mouth.

They wasted no more time as they bustled themselves around the room. They locked the windows, chained the door, drew the blinds, dragged the curtains shut and switched off the lights...until all was silent. Despite the dark room, the pale light of the moon kindled the room slightly through the blonds and curtains.

"They're only after him. Get him a safe place to hide," Kurapica whispered at the man. Without hesitation, Leorio nodded and lead the frantic boy into his room and locked the door.

Alone in the darkness, the remaining boy peered at the digital clock sitting on the coffee table.

_11:59:04_

With just less than a minute to go, he could only wait, and pray that his two friends had already found a safe place to hide. Kurapica leaned against the wall by the window and closed his eyes. He took in deep breaths as his chest heaved at a steady beat. The second hand of the analog clock echoed around the dim room. Every second was taunting him, torturing him. The familiar feeling of chains rippled on his right hand.

He dared to move the curtain a finger's breadth and peeked out the window. The row of street lights below were flickering strangely, and the trees beckoning to the upcoming event. The city clock stood isolated amongst them all, the most tormenting of all clocks.

_11:59:44_

Even the number fours look deadly, not to mention _Hisoka._ The drunk pendulum swayed left to right, left to right...

_11:59:48_

Kurapica closed the curtain and resumed staring at the digital clock, the seconds edging dangerously towards midnight. Every now and then, he would be clench and unclench his fists. He flexed his fingers as the chains were materialized and clinked against each other.

_11:59:57_

_11:59:58_

_11:59:59_

The city clock began its chimes. The boy watched blankly as the clock blinked back at him. The clock was frozen in time, neither going forward, neither going back, probably because of the short battery. The glowing second numbers flickered from 59, to 59.

_One_

_Two_

_Three_

He could feel a slight tremble on the floor. The small ripples on the tea confirmed that he was not imagining. _Right now, they're on ground floor._

_Four_

_Five_

_Six_

It felt as if time was passing by slowly. _Too _slowly. _They're running up the stairs._

_Seven_

_Eight_

_Nine_

He liked the cool metal feeling of the chains on his skin. It felt really soothing... _They're behind the door._

_Ten_

_Eleven_

_Now! _He swung his judgement chain towards the door.

_Twelve_

With a _bang!_ the door collapse and a bulky figure emerged. He dodged the ambushing chain just in time. Franklin shook his frankenstein head and smiled grimly, "That's not how you treat a guest."

Kurapica had expected the whole group to crowd in the room, but he was wrong. Shalnark, Shizuku and Feitan joined the massive man. The others were not in sight.

"Be grateful. Our comrades are back at our base, so you don't have to provide us all refreshments," Feitan smirked. "For now, I'm the temporary leader. Shalnark, Shizuku, get searching." The two Spiders nodded and took off opening doors and rummaging around the apartment.

Kurapica spoke in the same dark and icy tone, "And what exactly, are you searching for?"

"It is I who should be asking the questions!" Feitan snapped. The boy's eyes instantly turned scarlet as he aimed the chain at the little man. Despite his mass, Franklin was behind him in less than a second and whacked his head, causing Kurapica's vision to blur. The chain missed its target by a few centimetres.

"Now answer me. Where's the boy?" Feitan asked stonily.

"Why are you after him?" _Whack! _The boy felt dizzy as a strange sound resonated in his head. His arms and legs were being locked in Franklin's tough grip, restricting his movements.

The little man repeated, adding a bit more commandment in his tone, "Where is he?"

"Why is he so important?" _Whack! _Kurapica could feel something wet rolling down his right temple.

The man, yet again, repeated the monotonous question, "Where, is the boy?"

"What _is _he to you?" _Whack! _A disturbing memory flooded in his head. He remembered the time when he threw stimultaneous punches on the stubborn Ubo when he refused to answer his questions. _So this was how it felt, _he shuddered.

Feitan sighed. There was no pleasing this guy. "Don't you understand? He is the key..."

"The key...?"

"The key to free Danchou."

Kurapica stared at him, confused. His brain cells were still recovering slowly from the heavy impacts on his head.

The man continued, "We want the boy live as much as we want Danchou to return."

"Why?" was all the blonde could muster through gritted teeth.

"Because, he emmits a powerful aura..."

The boy was gradually fading into the darkness, his hearing was blurring.

"...a powerful aura, that of a J-"

Kurapica fell unconscious. He didn't need the man to finish his sentence, everything made sense now. A surprised yelp rang down the corridor, catching the attention of her fellow Spiders. Franklin was already on his way. Feitan paused to gaze at the unmoving boy before he followed the bulky man. Without looking back, he smirked, "Oh, and I forgot. We don't want you dead either."

* * *

**some of you wudve guessed, aint it quite obvious?**

**"that of a J-" lol**

**if u do review, dont spoil it! :3**

**dont think kai is a girl, u nvr know, he may be a boy afta all. i luv twists and countdowns.**


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